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Career Path And Employment Opportunities For Meteorologist

Among the careers in the public sector in the country, the job of meteorologist offers good prospects for the career aspirants. It does not mean that the career is confined to public sector alone. Substantial opportunities are also available in the private sector as well.

Career Profile

An overview of the careers and employment prospects of meteorologists are as follows.

* Around 40% of the jobs are available with Federal Government that is the largest employer.
* Candidates require a bachelor’s degree in meteorology or any other highly related fields. In any case, meteorology has to be a part of the course.
* In some cases higher qualifications like masters or even doctoral degrees may be required, especially for research scientist posts.
* Despite the federal government being the largest employer, job opportunities are better in private industries since the federal jobs are highly competitive.
* Job opportunities are expected to be better in private industry than in the Federal Government; opportunities in broadcasting, however, are rare and highly competitive.

Job Description

Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere and the blanket of air that covers the earth. Meteorologists will study

* Physical characteristics, motions, and processes of atmosphere;
* Way in which the factors affect the environment;
* Forecasting the weather by best use of the knowledge;
* Interpret climatic trends;
* Analyze past and present weather conditions;
* Study the trends in earth’s climate; and
* Help control air pollution, agriculture, transportation in sea and air routes, defense works, and forestry.

Meteorologist Types

Largest group among the meteorologists are the operational ones who forecast the weather. Air pressure, temperature, wind velocity and humidity are the factors these people study. Using formulas of mathematics and physics, they make long and short term weather forecasts. For the purpose they use various instruments like weather satellites, sensors, and sophisticated computers as well as weather balloons.

Training, Qualifications, and Advancement Prospects

Basic requirements of qualifications and training for the job of meteorologists are as follows.

* A bachelor’s degree in meteorology;
* It may also be in any closely related subject but that should contain at least 24 semester hours in meteorology and six hours also in weather analysis and predictions;
* It is also necessary to have at least 9 hours of course in some physical science major like hydrology, radioactive transfer, thermodynamics, light and optics, and computer science etc.

Employment Opportunities and Earnings

Around 8,000 jobs are held by meteorologists of whom about 3,000 are in the Federal Government. Most of federal jobs are available in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA and in weather service stations.

Median annual earnings in the job are in the range of $40,000-$90,000. Among the careers in the public sector in the country, the job of meteorologist offers good prospects for the career aspirants. It does not mean that the career is confined to public sector alone. Substantial opportunities are also available in the private sector as well.

Career Profile

An overview of the careers and employment prospects of meteorologists are as follows.

* Around 40% of the jobs are available with Federal Government that is the largest employer.
* Candidates require a bachelor’s degree in meteorology or any other highly related fields. In any case, meteorology has to be a part of the course.
* In some cases higher qualifications like masters or even doctoral degrees may be required, especially for research scientist posts.
* Despite the federal government being the largest employer, job opportunities are better in private industries since the federal jobs are highly competitive.
* Job opportunities are expected to be better in private industry than in the Federal Government; opportunities in broadcasting, however, are rare and highly competitive.

Job Description

Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere and the blanket of air that covers the earth. Meteorologists will study

* Physical characteristics, motions, and processes of atmosphere;
* Way in which the factors affect the environment;
* Forecasting the weather by best use of the knowledge;
* Interpret climatic trends;
* Analyze past and present weather conditions;
* Study the trends in earth’s climate; and
* Help control air pollution, agriculture, transportation in sea and air routes, defense works, and forestry.

Meteorologist Types

Largest group among the meteorologists are the operational ones who forecast the weather. Air pressure, temperature, wind velocity and humidity are the factors these people study. Using formulas of mathematics and physics, they make long and short term weather forecasts. For the purpose they use various instruments like weather satellites, sensors, and sophisticated computers as well as weather balloons.

Training, Qualifications, and Advancement Prospects

Basic requirements of qualifications and training for the job of meteorologists are as follows.

* A bachelor’s degree in meteorology;
* It may also be in any closely related subject but that should contain at least 24 semester hours in meteorology and six hours also in weather analysis and predictions;
* It is also necessary to have at least 9 hours of course in some physical science major like hydrology, radioactive transfer, thermodynamics, light and optics, and computer science etc.

Employment Opportunities and Earnings

Around 8,000 jobs are held by meteorologists of whom about 3,000 are in the Federal Government. Most of federal jobs are available in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA and in weather service stations.